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Faculty Biographies – 2010 Inner IDEA® Conference
We've chosen 35 of the world's top researchers, teachers and presenters to provide you with the latest research, advanced techniques and diverse new programs to expand your approach to wellness for yourself and your clients.
Lis Addison has studied, performed and taught dance, yoga and music for 40 years, as well as led workshops and retreats. She has a master’s of fine arts in electronic music and is the creator of KiVo: The Kinetic Voice, ecstatic and meditative dance combined with healing chants. KiVo currently plays in 11 countries, on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio, and on Music Choice®.
Lawrence Biscontini, MA, is a worldrenowned presenter, trainer, author, mindful movement specialist and spa consultant. He represents Gliding™, Beamfit™, Bender Ball®, and Power Systems® and is the creator of Yo-Chi®. His most recent books are Running the Show and Cream Rises. Lawrence is the recipient of the 2009 ECA Presenter’s Choice Premier Debut Award and Instructor of the Year awards from IDEA (2004) and ACE (2002).
Larry Cammarata, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, wellness educator and instructor of tai chi chuan with over 25 years of experience in the field of mind-body health and wellness. His teaching integrates science, spirituality and psychology in ways that are accessible and practical. In his spare time, he is a professional musician who has performed locally, nationally and internationally.
Paul Chek is an international speaker, consultant and holistic health practitioner. He has over 25 years of experience in corrective exercise, high performance conditioning and integrative lifestyle management. The author of six books, over 60 DVDs and numerous correspondence courses and seminars, he has also developed four certification programs for advanced professional development in the health and fitness industry.
Kathy Corey is the owner and director of West Coast Pilates. She has been a Pilates teacher and an active member and leader in the Pilates community for almost 30 years. Kathy serves on the advisory boards for Inner IDEA® and Pilates Style magazine. She is PMA Pilates gold certified.
Jill Denison is a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® pre-trainer, is certified on all GYROTONIC specialized equipment, and has studied extensively with Juliu Horvath, the GYROTONIC creator. She has studied all over the world and taught for 8 years. She attended the Hartford Conservatory of Music and Dance in Hartford, Connecticut and the State University of New York at the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance.
Terry Eckmann, PhD, is a professor at Michigan State University and serves on the ICAA advisory board. She writes for various publications and has authored chapters for the ACSM Personal Training Manual and Health Fitness Management text. Terry is the recipient of the IDEA Make Fitness Happen Award, the Club Industry Distinguished Business Award and the Michigan State University Faculty Achievement Award.
Eric Franklin is the founder of the Franklin Method® and teaches throughout the world. He is a dancer, educator, university lecturer and the successful author of best sellingbooks in the mind-body field such as Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery and Pelvic Power. Eric has taught at New York University and the Juilliard School as well as coached both world and European champion athletes in the Franklin Method.
Michael Fritzke and Ton Voogt are internationally-recognized Pilates presenters, educators, consultants and innovators with over 25 years experience in the fitness industry. They co-own ZENIRGY, LLC, and they created the revolutionary TRIADBALL™, two DVD lines and several Pilates certification programs.
Ray Gin, DC, is the director of Body Wisdom Center for Healing, a holistic, integrative health center in Laguna Hills, California. He specializes in functional medicine, kinesiology and mind-body approaches that address the emotions and soul. Ray is also the president of Pep Talk International, a non-profit health education organization consisting of doctors from around the globe that teach cost-saving self-care techniques.
Michele Hébert is a master yoga and meditation teacher (Walt Baptiste Method), natural nutritionist and author. She was one of the first to promote the integration of mind, body and spirit within the fitness industry. Michele was a media representative for ACE (1996–1998) as well as the author of IDEA Fitness Journal articles on yoga, breathing, meditation and mind-body fitness.
Sue Hitzmann, MS, founder of Longevity Fitness Inc. and creator of The MELT Method®, is a nationally-recognized educator and practitioner of Hands-off Bodywork™ and a leading authority on neurofascial science and treatment techniques. Her decades of teaching in fitness, extensive study and research, and private practice as a manual therapist have culminated in a new approach to improving efficiency and living a pain-free long life.
Joan Hyman teaches teacher trainings, retreats and workshops around the globe, along with many popular flow classes in Los Angeles. She is YogaWorks® certified and has made two trips to India to study with the beloved Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson Sharath. Her influential teachers are Prem Carlisi, Maty Ezraty and Annie Carpenter.
Scott Josephson, MS, RD, is the director of operations at the Hippocrates Health Institute, a premier life-changing property in Florida. Scott speaks at conferences throughout the United States and Canada, is the recipient of numerous awards and is frequently published covering a wide range of industry topics. He is also on the advisory boards for the American Fitness Professionals and Can-Fit-Pro.
Michael King has been working with the Pilates technique for over 30 years and has taught at the Voight Center as well as many other Pilates studios in Los Angeles. Michael is the founding director of the Pilates Institute in London and his Pilates programs are taught in over 26 countries worldwide.
Kim Kraushar is the owner of one of the first STOTT PILATES®-licensed training centers in Canada and has trained hundreds of health and fitness professionals throughout the Atlantic region. She is a STOTT PILATEScertified instructor trainer, a Yamuna Body Rolling™-certified instructor trainer, and a certified Franklin Method® instructor. Kim received her BFA Dance/BEd from York University and completed her kinesiology degree at Dalhousie University.
Stacey Lei Krauss is a Reiki practitioner specializing in barefoot training and lifestyle integration techniques. She is most well known for her fusion program, willPower & grace®, which reached international status in 2009. She is a Nike Elite instructor with 10 years of dance training and over 20 years experience in the fitness industry. Stacey Lei is a master trainer for Schwinn® Cycling and BOSU®, and a teacher trainer for Peak Pilates®.
Birgitte Kristen is known for her precise instructions, her slow yet challenging classes, and the way she weaves in the spiritual aspects of yoga. For the last 5 years, she has been leading teacher trainings and mentoring future teachers in the professional program at YogaWorks®. Birgitte has been a student of yoga since 1989 and has taught at YogaWorks since 1993.
Stacy McCarthy is a national presenter and a leading yoga expert for several organizations. As a certified yoga and fitness professional with over two decades of teaching and presenting, Stacy offers a contemporary approach to the ancient practice of yoga. Her tenure in the industry also includes COO, program director and consultant to numerous fitness and yoga studios. She has also gained recognition for her Yoga Body DVD series.
Tom McCook is the founder and director of Center of Balance and is a nationally-recognized fitness and movement specialist. A personal trainer since 1984, Tom designs programs for health and life performance for working professionals, people rehabilitating from injuries and world-class athletes, as well as teaching Pilates certification courses for Balanced Body® University. Tom McCook and Center of Balance have been featured in national magazines and TV programs.
Jill Miller teaches Yoga Tune Up® internationally, with classes at Equinox® found all around the United States. Her work is featured in Self, Marie Claire, Fit Yoga, Yoga Journal, Women’s Running, the Los Angeles Times, and on NPR. She is a contributing expert at Gaiam.com, and is also the star of the Yoga Tune Up®, Pranamaya’s Yoga Link, and Gaiam’s Yoga for Weight Loss DVDs.
Susana Moore is a soul coach, sound healer, Nia® instructor, and the contemplative programs coordinator at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa in Tecate, Mexico where she teaches the inner journey meditation program blending vipassana and mindful practice. She is white belt-certified in Nia and has completed extensive massage, movement and mind-body education.
Mehrad Nazari, PhD, is a senior teacher of raja yoga and has been teaching for 15 years. He is a continuing education specialist in yoga for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an international presenter. He frequently presents at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa and the Esalen Institute. Mehrad was trained by Walt Baptiste, was initiated by Swami Veda Bharati, the Zen Master Kyozan Joshu Sasaki Roshi and H.H. the Dalai Lama. He was also a professor of business negotiation for 10 years at the United States International University.
PJ O’Clair is the owner of Northeast Pilates, New England’s largest STOTT PILATES®-licensed training center with locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. She is a continuing education provider with 20 years of experience offering workshops in Pilates training, applied anatomy, stability ball and yoga.
Phyllis Pilgrim is the education director of Body-Mind-Spirit and Specialty Week Programs at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa. She teaches yoga, meditation, labyrinth and meditation walks. Phyllis is also the author of The Hidden Passport: My Childhood Journey Through Japanese Concentration Camps in Java where she tells of her story of survival and courage, laced with humor and insights of daily life in captivity.
Erika Quest is the owner of Studio Q Pilates Conditioning in Laguna Beach, California and is a BASI®-certified instructor. As a former advertising executive, Erika found Pilates in 2001 due to a painful back injury from running and she now shares her passion for Pilates with loyal clients. Erika presented three premiere sessions at the 2009 IDEA World Fitness Convention™ and is contracted with BOSU® to design their DVD and workshop for BOSU Studio Pilates, debuting 2010.
Debbie Rosas is the co-creator of the Nia® Technique, an international body-mind-spirit fitness and lifestyle program taught in over 37 countries by over 2,000 licensed teachers. Since 1983, Nia’s focus has been on body-mind-spirit education and program development. Debbie’s work includes the production of instructional DVDs, DVD workouts and meditation CDs. Debbie and Nia have been featured in over 700 publications and numerous television shows.
David-Dorian Ross is the owner of Full Circle Fitness and T’ai Chi Academy as well as the founder of the T’ai Chi Network. David is a three-star IDEA presenter and a faculty member of AAAI. He is America’s tai chi champion, has won seven U.S. gold medals, two world bronze medals and a world silver medal—the highest awards ever given to a non-Asian for tai chi.
Beth Shaw is the founder and president of YogaFit® Training Systems Worldwide, and the author of YogaFit (Human Kinetics, 2001) and YogaFit-2nd Edition (Human Kinetics, 2009). She has appeared on several television programs (The Big Idea, CNN) as well as published in numerous publications (Time, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Self, Fit, Yoga Journal). She holds a degree in business from Long Island University along with numerous yoga, fitness and mind-body certifications.
Norma Shechtman, MEd, MA, has been in the fitness field for over 30 years as a professional health and fitness manager, instructor and personal trainer. She has extensive experience in program development, administration and launch. Norma has written numerous books and articles as well as scripted and directed many videos. In 2003, Norma was the recipient of the ACE Group Fitness Instructor of the Year Award.
Nora St. John has been teaching Pilates in studio, group and postrehabilitation settings for over 20 years. She is the education program director for Balanced Body® University and holds a Pilates Method Alliance® certification. She has a background in dance, acupuncture, massage and meditation.
Zoey Trap, MSc, is the co-owner of The InnerSpace in Avon, Connecticut, and is a Peak Pilates® master trainer. She is an international presenter, and the author of several educational programs for fitness companies such as Life Fitness, Nautilus® and Keiser®, as well as for several European fitness organizations. Zoey was nominated as the Shape Up Presenter of the Year and has her master’s degree in exercise science with a research focus in alternative therapy and the spine.
Michael Fritzke and Ton Voogt are internationally-recognized Pilates presenters, educators, consultants and innovators with over 25 years experience in the fitness industry. They co-own ZENIRGY, LLC, and they created the revolutionary TRIADBALL™, two DVD lines and several Pilates certification programs.
Yamuna Zake is the owner of Yamuna Studio in New York City, and is the developer and worldwide trainer of the Yamuna® bodywork systems. She has created five bodywork systems: Yamuna Body Logic, her original hands-on treatment; the YBR Table Treatment; YBR selftherapy; Yamuna Foot Fitness; and the Yamuna Save Your Face self-therapy and hands-on treatment. Yamuna has also authored two books about YBR self-therapy.
Lis Addison has studied, performed and taught dance, yoga and music for 40 years, as well as led workshops and retreats. She has a master’s of fine arts in electronic music and is the creator of KiVo: The Kinetic Voice, ecstatic and meditative dance combined with healing chants. KiVo currently plays in 11 countries, on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio, and on Music Choice®.
Lawrence Biscontini, MA, is a worldrenowned presenter, trainer, author, mindful movement specialist and spa consultant. He represents Gliding™, Beamfit™, Bender Ball®, and Power Systems® and is the creator of Yo-Chi®. His most recent books are Running the Show and Cream Rises. Lawrence is the recipient of the 2009 ECA Presenter’s Choice Premier Debut Award and Instructor of the Year awards from IDEA (2004) and ACE (2002).
Larry Cammarata, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, wellness educator and instructor of tai chi chuan with over 25 years of experience in the field of mind-body health and wellness. His teaching integrates science, spirituality and psychology in ways that are accessible and practical. In his spare time, he is a professional musician who has performed locally, nationally and internationally.
Paul Chek is an international speaker, consultant and holistic health practitioner. He has over 25 years of experience in corrective exercise, high performance conditioning and integrative lifestyle management. The author of six books, over 60 DVDs and numerous correspondence courses and seminars, he has also developed four certification programs for advanced professional development in the health and fitness industry.
Kathy Corey is the owner and director of West Coast Pilates. She has been a Pilates teacher and an active member and leader in the Pilates community for almost 30 years. Kathy serves on the advisory boards for Inner IDEA® and Pilates Style magazine. She is PMA Pilates gold certified.
Jill Denison is a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® pre-trainer, is certified on all GYROTONIC specialized equipment, and has studied extensively with Juliu Horvath, the GYROTONIC creator. She has studied all over the world and taught for 8 years. She attended the Hartford Conservatory of Music and Dance in Hartford, Connecticut and the State University of New York at the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance.
Terry Eckmann, PhD, is a professor at Michigan State University and serves on the ICAA advisory board. She writes for various publications and has authored chapters for the ACSM Personal Training Manual and Health Fitness Management text. Terry is the recipient of the IDEA Make Fitness Happen Award, the Club Industry Distinguished Business Award and the Michigan State University Faculty Achievement Award.
Eric Franklin is the founder of the Franklin Method® and teaches throughout the world. He is a dancer, educator, university lecturer and the successful author of best sellingbooks in the mind-body field such as Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery and Pelvic Power. Eric has taught at New York University and the Juilliard School as well as coached both world and European champion athletes in the Franklin Method.
Michael Fritzke and Ton Voogt are internationally-recognized Pilates presenters, educators, consultants and innovators with over 25 years experience in the fitness industry. They co-own ZENIRGY, LLC, and they created the revolutionary TRIADBALL™, two DVD lines and several Pilates certification programs.
Ray Gin, DC, is the director of Body Wisdom Center for Healing, a holistic, integrative health center in Laguna Hills, California. He specializes in functional medicine, kinesiology and mind-body approaches that address the emotions and soul. Ray is also the president of Pep Talk International, a non-profit health education organization consisting of doctors from around the globe that teach cost-saving self-care techniques.
Michele Hébert is a master yoga and meditation teacher (Walt Baptiste Method), natural nutritionist and author. She was one of the first to promote the integration of mind, body and spirit within the fitness industry. Michele was a media representative for ACE (1996–1998) as well as the author of IDEA Fitness Journal articles on yoga, breathing, meditation and mind-body fitness.
Sue Hitzmann, MS, founder of Longevity Fitness Inc. and creator of The MELT Method®, is a nationally-recognized educator and practitioner of Hands-off Bodywork™ and a leading authority on neurofascial science and treatment techniques. Her decades of teaching in fitness, extensive study and research, and private practice as a manual therapist have culminated in a new approach to improving efficiency and living a pain-free long life.
Joan Hyman teaches teacher trainings, retreats and workshops around the globe, along with many popular flow classes in Los Angeles. She is YogaWorks® certified and has made two trips to India to study with the beloved Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson Sharath. Her influential teachers are Prem Carlisi, Maty Ezraty and Annie Carpenter.
Scott Josephson, MS, RD, is the director of operations at the Hippocrates Health Institute, a premier life-changing property in Florida. Scott speaks at conferences throughout the United States and Canada, is the recipient of numerous awards and is frequently published covering a wide range of industry topics. He is also on the advisory boards for the American Fitness Professionals and Can-Fit-Pro.
Michael King has been working with the Pilates technique for over 30 years and has taught at the Voight Center as well as many other Pilates studios in Los Angeles. Michael is the founding director of the Pilates Institute in London and his Pilates programs are taught in over 26 countries worldwide.
Kim Kraushar is the owner of one of the first STOTT PILATES®-licensed training centers in Canada and has trained hundreds of health and fitness professionals throughout the Atlantic region. She is a STOTT PILATEScertified instructor trainer, a Yamuna Body Rolling™-certified instructor trainer, and a certified Franklin Method® instructor. Kim received her BFA Dance/BEd from York University and completed her kinesiology degree at Dalhousie University.
Stacey Lei Krauss is a Reiki practitioner specializing in barefoot training and lifestyle integration techniques. She is most well known for her fusion program, willPower & grace®, which reached international status in 2009. She is a Nike Elite instructor with 10 years of dance training and over 20 years experience in the fitness industry. Stacey Lei is a master trainer for Schwinn® Cycling and BOSU®, and a teacher trainer for Peak Pilates®.
Birgitte Kristen is known for her precise instructions, her slow yet challenging classes, and the way she weaves in the spiritual aspects of yoga. For the last 5 years, she has been leading teacher trainings and mentoring future teachers in the professional program at YogaWorks®. Birgitte has been a student of yoga since 1989 and has taught at YogaWorks since 1993.
Stacy McCarthy is a national presenter and a leading yoga expert for several organizations. As a certified yoga and fitness professional with over two decades of teaching and presenting, Stacy offers a contemporary approach to the ancient practice of yoga. Her tenure in the industry also includes COO, program director and consultant to numerous fitness and yoga studios. She has also gained recognition for her Yoga Body DVD series.
Tom McCook is the founder and director of Center of Balance and is a nationally-recognized fitness and movement specialist. A personal trainer since 1984, Tom designs programs for health and life performance for working professionals, people rehabilitating from injuries and world-class athletes, as well as teaching Pilates certification courses for Balanced Body® University. Tom McCook and Center of Balance have been featured in national magazines and TV programs.
Jill Miller teaches Yoga Tune Up® internationally, with classes at Equinox® found all around the United States. Her work is featured in Self, Marie Claire, Fit Yoga, Yoga Journal, Women’s Running, the Los Angeles Times, and on NPR. She is a contributing expert at Gaiam.com, and is also the star of the Yoga Tune Up®, Pranamaya’s Yoga Link, and Gaiam’s Yoga for Weight Loss DVDs.
Susana Moore is a soul coach, sound healer, Nia® instructor, and the contemplative programs coordinator at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa in Tecate, Mexico where she teaches the inner journey meditation program blending vipassana and mindful practice. She is white belt-certified in Nia and has completed extensive massage, movement and mind-body education.
Mehrad Nazari, PhD, is a senior teacher of raja yoga and has been teaching for 15 years. He is a continuing education specialist in yoga for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an international presenter. He frequently presents at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa and the Esalen Institute. Mehrad was trained by Walt Baptiste, was initiated by Swami Veda Bharati, the Zen Master Kyozan Joshu Sasaki Roshi and H.H. the Dalai Lama. He was also a professor of business negotiation for 10 years at the United States International University.
PJ O’Clair is the owner of Northeast Pilates, New England’s largest STOTT PILATES®-licensed training center with locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. She is a continuing education provider with 20 years of experience offering workshops in Pilates training, applied anatomy, stability ball and yoga.
Phyllis Pilgrim is the education director of Body-Mind-Spirit and Specialty Week Programs at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa. She teaches yoga, meditation, labyrinth and meditation walks. Phyllis is also the author of The Hidden Passport: My Childhood Journey Through Japanese Concentration Camps in Java where she tells of her story of survival and courage, laced with humor and insights of daily life in captivity.
Erika Quest is the owner of Studio Q Pilates Conditioning in Laguna Beach, California and is a BASI®-certified instructor. As a former advertising executive, Erika found Pilates in 2001 due to a painful back injury from running and she now shares her passion for Pilates with loyal clients. Erika presented three premiere sessions at the 2009 IDEA World Fitness Convention™ and is contracted with BOSU® to design their DVD and workshop for BOSU Studio Pilates, debuting 2010.
Debbie Rosas is the co-creator of the Nia® Technique, an international body-mind-spirit fitness and lifestyle program taught in over 37 countries by over 2,000 licensed teachers. Since 1983, Nia’s focus has been on body-mind-spirit education and program development. Debbie’s work includes the production of instructional DVDs, DVD workouts and meditation CDs. Debbie and Nia have been featured in over 700 publications and numerous television shows.
David-Dorian Ross is the owner of Full Circle Fitness and T’ai Chi Academy as well as the founder of the T’ai Chi Network. David is a three-star IDEA presenter and a faculty member of AAAI. He is America’s tai chi champion, has won seven U.S. gold medals, two world bronze medals and a world silver medal—the highest awards ever given to a non-Asian for tai chi.
Beth Shaw is the founder and president of YogaFit® Training Systems Worldwide, and the author of YogaFit (Human Kinetics, 2001) and YogaFit-2nd Edition (Human Kinetics, 2009). She has appeared on several television programs (The Big Idea, CNN) as well as published in numerous publications (Time, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Self, Fit, Yoga Journal). She holds a degree in business from Long Island University along with numerous yoga, fitness and mind-body certifications.
Norma Shechtman, MEd, MA, has been in the fitness field for over 30 years as a professional health and fitness manager, instructor and personal trainer. She has extensive experience in program development, administration and launch. Norma has written numerous books and articles as well as scripted and directed many videos. In 2003, Norma was the recipient of the ACE Group Fitness Instructor of the Year Award.
Nora St. John has been teaching Pilates in studio, group and postrehabilitation settings for over 20 years. She is the education program director for Balanced Body® University and holds a Pilates Method Alliance® certification. She has a background in dance, acupuncture, massage and meditation.
Zoey Trap, MSc, is the co-owner of The InnerSpace in Avon, Connecticut, and is a Peak Pilates® master trainer. She is an international presenter, and the author of several educational programs for fitness companies such as Life Fitness, Nautilus® and Keiser®, as well as for several European fitness organizations. Zoey was nominated as the Shape Up Presenter of the Year and has her master’s degree in exercise science with a research focus in alternative therapy and the spine.
Michael Fritzke and Ton Voogt are internationally-recognized Pilates presenters, educators, consultants and innovators with over 25 years experience in the fitness industry. They co-own ZENIRGY, LLC, and they created the revolutionary TRIADBALL™, two DVD lines and several Pilates certification programs.
Yamuna Zake is the owner of Yamuna Studio in New York City, and is the developer and worldwide trainer of the Yamuna® bodywork systems. She has created five bodywork systems: Yamuna Body Logic, her original hands-on treatment; the YBR Table Treatment; YBR selftherapy; Yamuna Foot Fitness; and the Yamuna Save Your Face self-therapy and hands-on treatment. Yamuna has also authored two books about YBR self-therapy.
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